Mechanical valves are typically used to control the flow of fluid in controlled atmosphere (CA) systems, and heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems (HVAC), as well as other applications. In a CA system, CO.sub.2, gas is moved from the controlled atmosphere room to a first scrubber tower and then back to the room, while a second scrubber tower is flushed out by air to the atmosphere. Periodically this arrangement will be reversed, with CO.sub.2, from the controlled atmosphere room moving through the second scrubber tower and the first scrubber tower being flushed out. Typically, a series of mechanical valves are used to accomplished this.
Other applications involving the control of fluid movement and direction require similar valve arrangements. Heretofore, relatively complex valve systems and/or combinations of valves, typically manually operated, have been used to control the flow of fluid in such applications. Such valve systems, while they do generally accomplish their intended purpose, often are quite complex, expensive, and depend upon an operator, which can lead to errors in the correct fluid flow and the timing of any change in flow.
The valve of the present invention is reliable in operation and capable of automatically changing the direction and destination of fluid flow within a fluid system. The valve is designed so that it is capable of being used without modification in a variety of fluid systems having different flow configurations.